


Fumbled Cards

by conceptstage



Series: Single Chapter Critical Role [10]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Day One Prompt, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Mollymauk Lives Fest, Other, Tarot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 16:13:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19727167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/conceptstage/pseuds/conceptstage
Summary: Mollymauk Lives Fest 2019 Day One: Tarot / Fake Dating





	Fumbled Cards

“Is this your card?”

Caleb blinked at him tiredly, his chin propped on his open palm. “Yes, just like the last fifteen times.”

Molly shrugged and started shuffling the tarot deck once more. “Just trying to keep things lively.”

Caleb sighed and glanced out around the busy street. They were huddled behind some shop vendors and had paid them all very well not to complain to authorities while they kept an eye out for their mark. She was meant to come by here sometime during the festival but none of their sources could agree on a time, so they had been sitting here since before the events even started that morning.

Molly held out the cards face down at him once more and Caleb groaned. “Oh, Molly, come on. You are always going to win because you’re a sneak cheat, what is the point?”

“Just pull a card, my friend. Maybe I’ll fumble this time.”

Caleb doubted it. Molly had never fumbled in all the time he’d watched him mess with those cards. Beau had practiced with them when they were in her care all those many months ago, and she had fumbled them more times than not, but Mollymauk was a practiced hand. He took a card. The Eye card. He flipped it back over and shoved it into the deck face down.

Molly grinned and started shuffling furiously, not even looking at his quick fingers. Caleb knew that he was doing some kind of sleight of hand to pick out Caleb’s card each and every time, but even after all this he still couldn’t spot the exchange. Molly’s hand moved too fast and his fingers too dexterous. 

Molly hummed as he shuffled, not taking his eyes off of Caleb’s face. Caleb felt a little hot under the collar from all the attention and tore his eyes away, glancing once more around the street, though he could still feel Molly’s eyes on his cheek.

Caleb’s eyes widened and he leaned forward to see if he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. True enough, there was their mark, smiling kindly at the candy apple vendor right in front of them. She hadn’t seemed to notice them yet and Caleb tried to get Molly’s attention without attracting her attention. “Mollymauk,” he hissed.

“Is this your card?” Molly asked, grinning at him.

Caleb opened his mouth to hiss at him again and then paused. “I… Nein. That’s not my card.” The Serpent card. 

Molly frowned and looked at it. “Really? I could have sworn.”

“Molly, she-” He turned back to look at her just as she glanced up and met his eyes. They’d never met but it was possible that she recognized him because he had followed Beau out of her party when she’d been dragged, kicking and screaming, outside by security. And now she saw them.

Suddenly, Molly grabbed him by the face and brought him in close. “Just go with it,” he whispered before pressing his mouth to Caleb’s, which was still hanging open in shock. Caleb made a noise of confusion that would be mistaken as a noise of pleasure by any passers-by and went limp in Molly grip as he pulled him closer. Caleb wasn’t exactly sure when he closed his eyes, though it was probably around the time Molly started moving his mouth slowly against Caleb’s lips. He opened them though, and spent a moment trying to remember when he’d closed them, when Molly pulled away.

Mollymauk grinned and started moving to his feet. “Come along, Darling. She’s moving away.” Caleb took his hand, still dazed, and let himself be pulled to his feet. Molly slipped an arm around his waist and pressed a quick kiss to Caleb’s jaw, just under his ear. Caleb shivered but Molly thankfully didn’t comment on it. He was just a bit ticklish there, is all. “Just go along with it a little longer,” Molly said. “We’re less conspicuous this way.”

Caleb wasn’t sure that that was true. Molly was conspicuous no matter what, but he followed along without complaint. And if the tips of his ears were a little bit pink, well, Molly didn’t comment on that either.


End file.
